Sign of the Times (Arthur Morgan x Reader)

Chapter Twenty Two

"(F/N)...?" Arthur's voice mumbled from beside me.

"Hmm...?" I hummed, my eyes remaining shut as I turned to face him. His arms wrapped around my small form, pulling me into him securely. A smile spread across my face as he did so, and a sigh left my lips.

"We should really be getting' back to camp... don't ya think?" He asked.

"Yeah, I suppose..." I sighed, sitting up, and stretching.

"Gotta say... I haven't slept that well in a long time." Arthur commented, sliding over beside me on the bed.

"Same here..." I admitted, smiling as he leaned over, and pressed a kiss to my bare shoulder. He then stood from the bed and walked over to collect his pants from off of the floor. I remained quiet as I watched him pull them up and slip his shirt on before I stood from the bed myself and walked over towards the bathroom. Thankfully, the dress was mostly dry as I slipped it on and pulled my hair up in a messy bun.

"Dutch and Hosea are probably wonderin' what happened to us." Arthur laughed as I stepped back out into the room. He had just pulled his suspenders up over his shoulders, but one of the straps were slightly twisted.

"We're two grown adults, and we're more than capable of holdin' our own..." I said, as I stood in front of him, adjusting the strap.

"That ain't really what I meant..." He said, lifting his eyebrow slightly. I gave him a curious look, and he chuckled as he reached his hand towards me, gently pressing the pads of his fingers into my neck.

"They're all gonna know... aren't they...? What if there's talk?" I asked, feeling my face grow hot.

"Does it matter? Let em' talk." He mumbled, holding the door open for me to walk through. We descended the staircase to the lobby and I felt my brow furrow.

"We're gonna need a lot of money if we're gonna get out of here..." I said, and Arthur nodded.

"That, we are." He sighed.

"Well, if it's money you're lookin' for, might I suggest headin' over to the sheriff's office?" The inn-keeper spoke up once we had made it into the lobby. Arthur and I turned our attention to him, and he held his hands up.

"Apologies. Didn't mean to listen in... It's just that, there's a new bounty poster up on the wall at the Sheriff's office. Might be worth a look." He suggested.

"Thank ya, I think we will have a look." Arthur nodded.

"Thanks again for the room. You saved us a heap of trouble." I said, and the inn-keeper smiled before waving us off.

We made our way over to the sheriff's office, and I could feel my head throb as we passed by the spot where Micah had knocked me out and left me for dead. We stepped inside and were greeted by two boots kicked up on a desk, and the sound of a man snoring loudly.

"Deputy, wake up!" Another male voice shouted. He threw shoe polishing brush at him and nailed him in the stomach ultimately ruining his nap. The deputy grunted as the brush made contact with his rib-cage, and he jumped up and onto his feet with a single bound.

"Head into the back and polish the waders boy, they're caked with mud." The sheriff ordered, and the young deputy hurried into the back to do as he was told.

"I'm certain the two of you ain't here to turn yourselves in... so you must be here for the bounty." He concluded, and Arthur nodded.

"On the wall over there. Just came in this mornin', and I ain't had a chance of lookin' at it myself." He said.

"How much of a bounty are we talkin'?" I asked as Arthur stepped over to the wall where the poster hung.

"About three grand." The sheriff said, and my eyes went wide.